Sudan - Transportation

With the exception of a few interurban bus lines and taxi systems, all
land, sea, river, and air transportation facilities are owned by the
state. The 5,995 km (3,725 mi) of railroad track links most of the main
towns of Sudan. The principal terminals are Khartoum and Port Sudan in
the east; Wadi Halfa' in the north (on the Egyptian border); Al
Ubayyid in the center of the country; Nyala in the west; and Waw in the
south. 'Atbarah on the Nile River (north of Khartoum) is an
important junction and seat of the

In 1966, a bridge linking Khartoum North and Omdurman, and the
enlargement of the bridge on the White Nile between Khartoum and
Omdurman were completed, facilitating the circulation of traffic around
these three towns. A major road (1,197 km/744 mi) linking Port Sudan
with Khartoum was completed in 1980. In 2002, the overall road system
totaled 11,900 km (7,395 mi), of which 4,320 km (2,684 mi) were paved.

Sudan has 5,310 km (3,297 mi) of waterways. River transport services
link many communities. The White Nile route between Kusti and Juba
(1,436 km/892 mi) is of crucial importance. Port Sudan, on the Red Sea,
is primarily a cargo port, handling all of Sudan's cotton exports
as well as most food imports. Passenger traffic is insignificant except
for Mecca-bound pilgrims. A small Sudanese merchant marine was founded
with assistance from the former Yugoslavia. As of 2002, it had 4
vessels, with a gross tonnage of 39,545.

There were an estimated 65 airports in 2001, 12 of which had paved
runways. The international airport is at Khartoum. The state-owned Sudan
Airways Corp., founded in 1947, links the main cities and provides
extensive international service. Flights to the south were suspended in
the mid-1980s because of the civil war. In 2001, 415,000 passengers were
carried on scheduled domestic and international flights.